Torque converter



llmlmHrmU Feb. 17,1953 l.. BERNER ETAL TORQUE CONVERTERy INVENTORS o 5er-ner- 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 WQ Q\ QQ Q Filed Nov. 9. 1948 Feb. 17, 1953 BERNER ETAL TORQUE CONVERTER 6 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed NOV. 9, 1948 www www www.

INVENTORS leo Berner- /exande/'LJe/ TTORN CYS WNW..

Feb. 17, 1953 L. BERNER ErAL TORQUE CONVERTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 9, 1948 Feb. 17, 1953 l., BERNER lErm.

TORQUE CONVERTER Filed Nov. 9, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 17, 1953 l.. BERNER 'ETAL TORQUE CONVERTER Filed NOV. 9. 1948 'mlm-.HL

INVENTOIZS ,Leo Berner* Y /exa/vde/*LLJeff ATTORN EY S Feb. 17, 1953 l.. BERNER ErAL 2,628,555

TORQUE CONVERTER Fild Nov.y 9, 1948 e sheets-sheet e ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 17, 1953 TORLQUE CONVERTER Leo Berner, San Jose, and Alexander L. Jett,

Menlo Park, Calif.

Application November 9, 1948, Serial No. 59,062

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices which are `known as hydraulic torque converters, and which serve to transmit varying or constant torque from a source of power to a load. The invention also relates to the construction of hydraulic devices which can be used either for the positive pumping of liquid, or for deriving rotary power from a source of liquid under pressure.

In the past various types of torque converters have been proposed to facilitate securing a desired torque and speed from a prime mover or other source of driving power. Such torque converters have application for example for automotive vehicles, locomotives, motor generator sets, machine tools, and many other types or machinery and applianceswhere it is now common practice to I use conventional mechanism for securing a desired speed and torque, such as a'change speed gearing together with a clutch.

Prior types of torque converters of the hydraulic type have been subject to many disadvantages. l Y

If constructed to give an innitely variable drive ratio between the driven and driving shafts, the mechanism involved has been relatively complicated, thus making such units relatively expensive to manufacture and diflicult to control. In addition the eiciency has been relatively low, particularly for the higher drive ratios, which has resulted in excessive heating where the driven displacement and motive units are connected in a closed hydrauliccircuit. A

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic torque converter' of relatively simple construction and whichl is relatively easy to manipulate to' secure adjustment over a wide range of driving ratios.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide'a torque converter of the above character capable of reversal of the direction of rotation of the driven shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic torque converter of relatively compact construction, which incorporates both the hydraulic displacement and motor units in a single housing, together with control means for enabling reverse driving and a change in driving ratio.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved rotary hydraulic unit which may be operated either as a pump, or as a hydraulic motor, and which is characterized byy a relatively simple mechanical construction and relatively high eiiciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic displacement or motive unit of the above character, having certain `of itsoperating parts balanced against end thrust by vthe use of hydraulic pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel hydraulic displacement or motive unit having a novel arrangement for adjusting the volume of the fluid displacement chambers, thus facilitating its use in a torque converter` Additional objects of the invention will appear" from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been shown in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing- Figure 1 is an end view of a hydraulic torque converter unit incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the torque converter shown in Figure 1.4

Figure 3 is (a detail showing the adjusting means for manual control of the driving ratio, together with an indicator for showing the positioning of the reversing valve.

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the various parts of the torque converter shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 1 Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional development showing the relationship of the operating parts and taken through the ports 61 and 83 of the port rings.

Figure 8 is a development like Figure 7 but taken through the ports 66 and 84 of the port rings.

Figure 9 is a detail development showing the cam means for operating the reciprocating valve members.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Ill--I ll of Figure 5. p

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view `showing another embodiment of the invention, in which a single hydraulic unit is provided for use as a pump or motor.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line IZ-IZ of Figure 11.

The torque converter illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 inclusive consists of a housing I0 into which the aligned shafts I I` and I2 extend. These shafts are independently rotatable, and shaft II for example may be the drivingy shaft, and shaft I 2 the driven shaft. It is convenient to form the housing of three separable sections IUa, Ib and Ic, which are normally clamped together by the bolts` I 3.' One'operating member I4 can be shifted between forward and reverse positions, as will bei presently described, and another operating member I6 can be turned to vary the drive ratio. The housing parts Illa and IIlc are shown provided with a plurality of spaced ribs I1 and I8, which serve to strengthen the housing and to aid in dissipation of heat to the surrounding air. One side of the housing can be provided with supporting feet I9 to facilitate mounting the device on a fixed support.

It may be explained at this point that the housing I serves to enclose two hydraulic units, one acting as a pump or displacement device, and the second acting as a hydraulic motor. These two units are connected in direct closed circuit within the housing through valve means under the control of operating member I4. The two units are also simultaneously and oppositely adjustable as to volumetric displacement, and this adjustment is under the control of the operating member I6.

The operating parts within the housing can best be understood by reference to Figure 4, taken together with Figure 5. Referring particularly to Figure 4, the housing part |0c is machined to provide the cylindrical bore 2 I, the annular pocket 22, and the inner annular', cylindrical periphery 23. This housing part also includes an inner hub 24 which forms a mounting for the roller bearing assembly 26, which assembly serves to journal the shaft II. The roller bearing assembly is normally held in place by the annular cover plate 21, which is sealed about the shaft and with respect to the housing by a shim 28 or like means.

Within the housing part |0c there is a rotor assembly consisting of the rotatable members 3| and 32. The member 3| is in the form of a substantially fiat ring or annulus, having a plurality of lug-like teeth 33 extending from its one face. These teeth are spaced equally about the circumference of the member 3|, and in this particular instance five teeth are employed, although the number may vary in different designs. Member 32 has a weld connection 34 or other suitable attachment to the shaft II. It is machined to provide a planor annular face '36 proportioned similarly to the opposed face of member 3|, and it is also formed to provide a flange 31, which is machined to afford slots 38 dimensioned to accommodate the teeth 33.

When assembled as shown in Figure 5 the teeth 33 occupy the slots 3B, and project beyond the inner face of the flange 31, to form displacement areas as will be presently explained. Member 3| is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced guide rods 39, which extend slidably through openings 4| in the member 32, and which serve to guide the member 3| for adjusting movements longitudinally of the axis of the shaft. In the nal assembly that part of each rod 39 which extends through and beyond the member 32 is surrounded by a compression spring 42, and this spring is held under compression between the adjacent face of member 32 and the thrust washer 43, the latter being held in position upon the rod by the nut 44. Thus the member 3| is normally urged toward the right as viewed in Figure 5, or toward the member 32. Member 32 is also machined to provide the cylindrical periphery 46 and to provide a cam groove 41, the eontouring of which is illustrated in Figure 9. Also a plurality of ducts 46 are provided for a purpose to be presently described.

Associated with the rotatable members 3| and 4 32 there is a port ring 43. This ring is formed and machined to provide an inner hub 5I, an outwardly extending web 52, and an annular ported body 53. This ported body is machined to provide the inner and outer cylindrical peripheral surfaces 54 and 56.

The ported body part 53 of the manifold ring is machined to provide the slots 51, which extend parallel to the axis of shaft II. Each slot 51 serves to accommodate a reciprocating valve member 58, and in a typical instance where five teeth 33 are employed as previously mentioned, there may be three slots 51 cooperating with three valve members 56. Assuming that the slots 51 have parallel planor sides, each valve member 58 is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional contour, except however that the outer and inner surfaces can be curved to the same curvature as the cylindrical bore .2| and the surface 46. For the sake of lightness each valve member 5B can be made of hollow construction as illustrated, and it is provided with an end facing 6| of suitable material adapted to facilitate making sealed engagement with surfaces to be presently described, and to minimize wear. Each valve member 58 also carries a. cam roller 62, which is adapted to operate in the cam groove 41.

Referring particularly to Figure 5 in the nal assembly the valve members are disposed within their corresponding slots 51 with the end facing 6| of each valve member in opposition with the flange 31 on the rotatable member 32. It may be briefly explained at this point that when the members 3| and 32 rotate upon rotating the shaft II, the valve members 58 are reciprocated in a direction longitudinally of the axis of the shaft to retract and advance the same with respect to the flange 31. They are retracted sufficiently far to pass the teeth 33. and they advance into sealing relationship with the face 63 of flange 31, to form fluid displacement barriers.

As is better illustrated in Figure 5. the manifold ring 49 has its outer periphery 56 machined for a sliding fit within the bore 2| of the housing part IIIc, and has its inner periphery 54 machined to provide a running fit about the periphery 46 of the rotatable member 32. The manifold ring 49 does not rotate, but remains non-rotatable relative to the housing.

The manifold ring 49 is provided with two sets of inner and outer ports, designated by numbers 66 and 61. The ports 66 al1 communicate with an annular passage 66, and ports 61 all communicate with the adjacent annular passage 69. These passages in turn communicate with circumferentially spaced ports 1| and 12, which open through the planor face 10. The arrangement of these ports and passages can best be understood by reference to Figures 'l and 8. It may be explained that Figure '7 is a schematic development of the ports 61, together with thc passage 69, while Figure 8 is a development of the ports 65 together with the passage 68.

The motor which cooperates with the displacement unit has parts substantially identical with the parts just described. The parts of this motor-unit have been designated by like numbers with the suffix a. With the exception of the port ring 49a, these parts are omitted from the exploded view of Figure 4.

Adjacent ends of the two aligned shafts I and I2 are journaled by the ball bearing assembly 11 and 11a, which are carried by the sleeve 13. The two hub portions 5| and 5Ia of the manifold member are splined with respect to sleeve 18, so

that the two manifold members may be. shifted longitudinally` of the axis of the shafts. Bolts 19 serve to secure the port rings together.

The valve ring 'i3 is provided with two sets of cross over ports il andv t2, which are adapted to communicate between the 4ports l l, 'iii and l la, E20.. In addition the ring 'i3 provides another set of straight through ports 83, 8d, which likewise communicate between ports li, l?. and Ha, 12a. The valve ring is dimensioned to fit snugly between the opposed faces 'iii and 'ma of the two manifold rings, and is attached to the external operating member lf3. An index pointer (Figure 3) operating in conjunction with the scale 8l indicates the position of the valve ring. The two positions of the valve ring for forward and .reverse drive.

As previously pointed out the two port rings can be adjusted longitudinally of the axis of the shafts. These parts are suitably splined to the housing (as by means of keys not shown), and one of the rings, as for example the ring 69d, is provided with a projecting lug 38 (Figure 3) which extends through an opening 89 in the housing part lila. The lug 88 is secured to the threaded rod di which in turn is threaded in a bracket S2 carried by the housing. Lug 8&- also has a pointer S3 which cooperates with the scale 94. Thus by turning the control member it, the lug together with the two manifold members 135! and d8a can be moved a limited distance longitudinally of the shafts. As will be presently explained this serves the purpose of changing the drive ratio by oppositely adjusting the volumetric displacements of the two hydraulic units.

Suitable sealing means and gaskets are employed between the stationary and relatively movable parts to prevent leakage. rlihus the rotat ing members 32 and 32a are provided with seal rings il?, 98, and Bla, Sida, to seal upon the inner pcripheries of the manifold rings e9, 159e. The body part iilc is likewise provided with the peripheral seal rings S9, lill, m2, and E63, and similar seal rings are provided. for the body part isa.

are

Likewise referring to the housing part lilo the cover ring 27 for the shaft bearing is provided with the oil seal ring its, and the body itself is provided with an inner seal ring it, which seals upon the inner hub of the rotatable member 32.

Like seal rings are provided for the body part ica.

The face '5G of the manifold ring '19 is provided with a plurality of concentric seal rings ist, and like seal rings are provided for the manifold ring @9a. These seal rings facilitate making sealed engagement with the sine faces of 't e'valve ring 73.

Operation of the complete assembly described above is follows: lt will be presumed that a source of power, such as an internal combustion engine, is applied to the driving shaft I l, and that the shaft i2 is attached to drive a load, such as the wheels of a motor vehicle. Turning of the il turns the associated rotor assembly of the pumping unit, consisting of the rotatable members 3| and 32. Also it is assumed that the closed circuit formed by the various chambers, ports and passages is substantially completely filled with liquid such as a suitable oil. As is best understood by reference to Figure 7, the spaces between the teeth 33 form chambers |01, from which liquid is displaced as the pumping unit rotates. Assuming that the direction of rotation is to the left as indicated by the arrow, the middle valve member 58 is expelling' liquid from that part of the chamber lo? extending between this valve member and the adjacent tooth 33 on the right hand side of` the, same. This liquid isbeing expelled-into the communicat ing port 67. The. left hand valve member 58 is shown in a position. after substantially all of the liquid has been displaced from the right of the same, and the adjacent tooth. 3.3 has closed the entrant end of the adjacent port 6l. At this instant the valve member 58 commences to re tract by virtue of the shaping of cam groove lll, so that it passes the adjacent tooth 33. The upper right hand valve member 58, of Figure 'I has just passed the adjacent tooth 33, and has again been projected into sealing engagement with the adjacent face of flange 3l. Therefore in this instance liquid is being expelled from that portion of chamber |01 which extends to the right of the valve member 53, and this liquid is being delivered into the ports 6l.

Simultaneously with discharge of liquid into the ports 6l' as described above, liquid flows through the ports 66 into the chambers is?. Thus for the middle valve member 53 liquid is being delivered through the corresponding port it into that part of the chamber lill which extends to the left of. the valve member 53. For the left hand valve member 53 the major part of the chamber lill' has been filled with liquid. For the right hand valve member E8 liquid is about to be admitted to the chamber il. As previously explained the ports el deliver liquid into the common passage 89 and from this passage the liquid is delivered through the ports il and through ports in the valve ring '53.

The motor unit has an action similar to the pumping or displacement unit. Thus in this in stance the teeth 35a are moving to the left as Vieweg; in Figure 7, and the valve members 53a are being projected and retracted in the same manner as described for the pumping unit. The middle valve member 58a is shown passing the adjacent tooth 33a. The left and right hand valve members 58o, are in sealing contactA with the ilange sie. Thus liquid continuously iiows through the ports Bla into the portions of chambers lilla which extend to the left of the valve members 58a, and the liquid is being continually delivered from the portions of the chambers lilla. which extend to the right of the valve members 58a, through the ports 66a.

Figure 8 illustrates the working parts in ythe lsame operating positions as Figure 7, except that the development in this instance is on a plane pumping unit is adapted to drive the motor unit in the same direction. Thus the port-s 83 and 34 rin the ring 13 are in registry with the ports ii and 'l2 of the manifold rings, whereby liquid being expelled under Ipressure through the ports 6l, flows through ports "83 of the valve ring, to the ports lia and 72a. Therefore liquid expelled from the ports 5l is caused to flow through the ports 61a (Figure 7) to act -upon the .pressure areas of the teeth 33a in such a manner as to cause the motor unit to rotate in thesaine direction, vthat is to the left as viewed in Figure '7. Movement of ring I3 to bring the cross over ports 3l, `B2 into registry with ports- 1I, l2 and lla, 12a serves to reverse the flow through ports dea,

61a, and thus drive the motor unit in a reverse direction.

In addition to the two operating positions for the valve member 13 described above, it is possible to place the lever I4 in an intermediate position (solid line position Fig. l) whereby the closed hydraulic circuit between the motor and pumping units is interrupted. This is made possible by proportioning the circumferential extent of the ports "II, I2 and lla, 12a, relative to the ports n the annular valve member, whereby a substantial overlap between these ports is provided for the intermediate position of the control lever I4. Thus liquid being pumped by the pumping unit is caused to flow directly 'back to the intake of the same, thus avoiding delivery of liquid under pressure to the motor unit. In many applications this neutral position -is desirable, as for example in connection with automotive applications where `for example the neutral position can be used in order to secure free wheeling.

In the foregoing explanation no reference has been made to changing the drive ratio between the pumping and motor units. As illustrated in Figures 'I and 8, the chambers IIlI and I0Ia are of substantially the same width. Therefore neglecting a slight amount of slippage, the driving ratio between the shafts II and I2 would be 1 to l. Assuming now that the control member I6 is turned to decrease the dimensioning of chamber' |01 and increase the width of ch-amber I01a, it will be apparent that for a given speed of operation of the shaft II, the volume of liquid discharged will be less because of the smaller volume of the chambers II'II, and this factor alone would result in a slower speed of rotation for the motor. However in addition to this factor the motor unit must turn ata reduced speed because of the increase in the volume of its chambers IOIa. In other words this increase in vol-ume alone would require a greater amount of liquid to be supplied Iin order to maintain the same i' speed of operation. When the size of the displacement chambers III'I is increased by turning the control member I6 in an opposite direction, the amount of liquid for a given speed of operation for the shaft I I is correspondingly increased. At the same time the volume of the chambers IDIa of the motor is reduced, and this factor, taken together with the increased volume of liquid supplied by the pumping unit, makes for a greater speed of operation of the motor unit.

It will be evi-dent from the foregoing that our device makes possible a wide range of drive ratio and that within this wide range yany ratio ldesired may be selected. Changes in -drive ratio m-ay be made while the device is in operation, as is-desirable in many applications, as for example for automotive vehicles. By adjusting the control member IS so that the pumping unit has zero volume for the chambers IIl'I, that is to bring the face of the flange 31 in the same plane as the end faces of the teeth 33, provides a neutral position, or one in which no liquid will be pumped and therefore the motor unit is permitted to remain stationary irrespective of the speed of rotation of the shaft II. Assuming a given speed of rotation of the shaft II, if the control member I 6 is now turned to commence delivery of liquid by the pumping unit, the motor unit starts in operation, commencing first with a relatively slow speed, and then increasing as the width of the chambers IDT increases. With the other extreme for the adjustment of the member I6, the width of the chambers IUla for the motor unit may be relatively small, thus providing a speed of rotation of the shaft I2 which is many times the rotational speed of shaft I I. Thus assuming a speed of 500 R. P. M. Ifor shaft I I, shaft I2 may for example be varied in speed from zero to 5000 R. P. M. When substantial loads are applied with transmission of considerable power, the rotating parts tend to take con-siderable thrust longitudinally of the shafts. Oil ducts 48, 48a together with pockets 96, 96a serve to rapply operating pressures developed in each unit to the exposed end areas of the rotatable members 32, 32a, and this in turn tends to reduce end thrust applied to the shafts and shaft bearings.

Our torque converter has wide applications Ifor various types of equipment. It may be used to advantage with various types of motor vehicles to take the place of conventional speed change gears and clutches. It is also applicable to a variety of machinery and appliances where it is desired to provide a wide range of .drive ratios, as for example machine tools, motor generator sets, marine craft, and -all of the various types of self-propelled vehicles.

When -used with automotive vehicles, lever I4 can be shifted between its forward and reverse positions in order to secure forward and reverse movement of the vehicle. As previously mentioned neutral position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 can be used in order to secure free wheeling. When the vehicle is moving `downhill one may brake on compression by torque transmitted Iby the device, and the amount of braking effort Ican be varied by adjustment of the drive ratio. Instead of operating the control members manually, it is possible to provide for their automatic operation. For example suitable centrifugal means `can be provi-ded, responsive to the speed of the shaft I2, for the automatic setting of the control member I6.

It is possible to incorporate features of our invention in a unit such as shown in Figures ll and l2, which caribe used for either liquid pumping or as a motor to be driven by liquid or air under pressure. Thus in this instance the housing part IDC, together with the rotatable parts 3I and 32, are substantially the same as in Figures l to 10 inclusive. However instead of the port ring 49, there is a ring III of modified construction. The ring III does not have a web for cooperative relationship with the shaft II, but extends into a special manifold II2, which in effect forms a part of the housing. The ports 66 and 61 formed in the port ring I II communicate with annular passages I I3 and I I4 which in turn are connected by passages IIS and II`I with the manifold passages IIB and IIS. The ring III is also provided with an annular extension I2I which overlaps and has a slidable seal with the annular wall |22 of manifold II2. Passages IIB, I I9 connect with external piping (not shown).

A suitable control member (not shown) is provided for adjusting the member III, as for example a control member like the member I4 of Figure 3.

As previously stated the device of Figures ll and l2 can rbe used either as a pump or as a motor. When used as a pump its volumetric displacement is dependent upon the adjustment of the port ring III. When used as a motor, the torque produced and the speed oi rotation is likewise dependent upon the adjustment of the ring III.

We claim:

l. In a hydraulic device of the type described, a housing, a shaft extending axially into the housing, an annular' member mounted on the shaft to rotate therewith and having circumferentially spaced slots, a ring adjacent one side of said member and provided with a plurality of teeth extending from one face of the same, said teeth being circumferentially spaced and accommodated in said circumferentially spaced slots formed in the annular member, a port ring nonrotatably carried Within the housing and having an yend face which faces toward the annular member, said port ring having circumferentially spaced slots formed in the same extending longitudinally of the axis of the shaft and also having ports for liquid flow, an end face of the port ring being spaced from said end face of the annular member to form displacement chambers between said teeth, valve members slidably disposed in the slots formed in the port ring, and means for automatically retracting and advancing said valve members upon rotation of said rotatable member, whereby when a Valve member is retracted it passes an adjacent tooth and when advanced it extends into and forms a fluid barrier in an associated displacement chamber, the porting of said port ring providing inflow and discharge ports for liquid owing into and out of said chambers.

2. A hydraulic device as in claim 1 in which thering adjacent the annular member which provides the circumferentially spaced teeth is mounted for adjusting movement longitudinally 10 of the shaft, and in which said port ring is likewise mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the shaft to thereby vary the volume of said y displacement chambers.

3. A hydraulic device as in claim 1 in which cam means, including a cam groove formed in said annular member, is provided to reciprocate said valve members.

4. A hydraulic device as in claim l in which the means for retracting and advancing the valve members includes a cam groove formed in a peripheral portion of said annular member, said portion being located adjacent the sides of the valve members which face the axis of said shaft.

LEO BERNER. ALEXANDER L. JETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 20 le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

